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If you have a rough concrete driveway, patio, or walkway with minor surface cracks, one of the best ways to repair these cracks is to fill them in with concrete repair caulk (siliconized latex concrete caulk). The only problem is that once you caulk these minor surface cracks, it will be extremely obvious that a caulk repair was made because the texture and color of the caulk does not blend in with the texture and color of the concrete slab.
A trick used to help hide any minor crack repairs in your concrete floor using concrete caulk is to sprinkle ordinary play sand over the caulk immediately after you apply it to the crack - while it is still setting up - or wet. Don't be stingy with the sand, and just cover the entire area of the caulk job so that you do not risk missing any of it. If you have a colored concrete slab, patio, or walkway, or you need to try to match the sand closer to the true color of the concrete - pick up some concrete colorant from your hardware store and add it to the sand. I recommend that you mix the sand and colorant in a small plastic re-usable container when doing this.
Let the caulk and sand mixture dry, and then simply brush it all off for a clean repair. The crack lines will still be visible, but they will not stick out as badly as they would with just a caulk repair.
Monday, December 8, 2008
The correct way to protect your home A/C condenser in winter
If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow-fall and you have been wondering about the proper way to protect your A/C condenser during the winter, this is how you do it.
I will start this off with the things you SHOULD NOT do to protect it, but are highly recommended in department stores. DO NOT WRAP YOUR CONDENSER OR COVER IT WITH AN A/C COVER. Doing this promotes moisture and condensation inside the tarp or cover and rusts the internal components. Additionally, covering an A/C condenser also encourages rodents to take up residency inside the unit. These guys chew through wiring, insulation, and electrical components and cause very expensive repairs.
So with that being said - how do your protect your external A/C condenser. Simply cut a scrap piece of plywood to the length and width of the top measurement of your A/C condenser and place it over the fan guard directly on top of the unit.
Place your 3-4 bricks on top of the plywood to keep it in place.
If you want to help protect the metal exterior and keep it looking good, simply give it a coat or two of car wax before all of the snow and rain come down.
I will start this off with the things you SHOULD NOT do to protect it, but are highly recommended in department stores. DO NOT WRAP YOUR CONDENSER OR COVER IT WITH AN A/C COVER. Doing this promotes moisture and condensation inside the tarp or cover and rusts the internal components. Additionally, covering an A/C condenser also encourages rodents to take up residency inside the unit. These guys chew through wiring, insulation, and electrical components and cause very expensive repairs.
So with that being said - how do your protect your external A/C condenser. Simply cut a scrap piece of plywood to the length and width of the top measurement of your A/C condenser and place it over the fan guard directly on top of the unit.
Place your 3-4 bricks on top of the plywood to keep it in place.
If you want to help protect the metal exterior and keep it looking good, simply give it a coat or two of car wax before all of the snow and rain come down.
How to Hang Holiday Lights Outside Quickly
This December, here is a holiday light hanging tip that will help get the job done quickly, cleanly - will not damage your home' s facia, will get you in out of the cold much faster, and will also help you take-down your lights faster!
Test your christmas lights first String out your holiday lights and plug them in to test that you do not have any burnt out bulbs. If you have any burnt out bulbs, replace them.
Take a package of clothespins, open it up, and put them into your coat pocket for easy access. We will be using the clothespins as clips to hang the lights to the aluminum soffit and fascia under the roof overhang when we get outside.
Take your lights outside and run them the length of the wall under the roof-line that you would like to hang them from to measure for coverage. Add more strings of lights where needed.
Start clipping your lights at the end of the roof-line. Get your ladder or step stool, and start at one end of the roof-line. We will be hanging the lights from end-to-end. Climb up the ladder with one end of the light strings - take a clothespins from out of your pocket - and simply clip the wires to the bottom lip of the fascia. If you have grooves in your siding material below the roof over-hang, try to place the clip inside those grooves.
Place a clothespin every foot of light along the roof facia. Now simply move down your roof-line hanging a clothespin and light wire to the bottom lip of the fascia every 1 foot of length. This will keep the lights held up tightly and securely. Complete the entire length of your roof-line, plug your lights in to test, and go inside - YOUR DONE!
When the Holiday season is over and you need to remove your lights - simply unclip the clothespins, wrap up your lights, and store them away until next year!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
How to get rid of rotten egg smell in softwater
If you used to have hard water, and recently switched over to a soft water system using a brine tank, you might have noticed that you are getting a rotten egg smell and you can not get rid of it. Here is how!
The easiest and fastest way to try and solve the issue is to make sure your brine tank (salt tank) is clean. If you are renting a tank, or have had one that was sitting around for a while, there could be bacteria inside the tank from the water. This is very common with well-fed systems vs. city pipe-fed systems. Fill the tank with some salt to the proper level.
Then take a measuring cup and pout 3/4 a cup of bleach into the measuring cup.
Look inside the Brine tank and find the white tube that is open at the top. Use the image attached to this step as a reference point. This is where the float mechanism for the tank sits, and this is also where bacteria can form. Pour the 3/4 cup of bleach down into this white tube.
Wait about 24 hours to see if this has solved your issue. 9 times out of 10 this is the main cause of the odor. If you also have a water pressure tank in your basement next to your system, you could have a bad bladder, which also has bacteria in it. Call a water professional to see if they can replace this. If you still smell the rotten egg water after using bleach in your brine tank, and you do not have a bad water pressure tank bladder, then we have to remove the Anode Rod in your water heater. (see picture)
An Anode Rod in your water heater is made of magnesium or aluminum and is wrapped around a steel core wire. They are placed in your water heater to attract hard-water elements first so that the rod will corrode and not your hot-water heater. The anode rod is "self-sacrificing" to save the tank from rusting out. These normally last 5 years. (see picture of a corroded anode rod)
When you add a water softener to your system, you introduce sodium into your water which can corrode your anode rod as quickly as six months. One of the most commonly over-looked things to do when you add a water softener is to remove your hot-water heater anode. The hot water heater is generally located at the top of the tank, and can be identified as a third plug. All you have to do is unscrew this plug with your channel locks or plumbers pipe-clamp and remove it from the hot water heater. Replace the plug, and you are all set.
If you can not find the plug for the Anode rod, then you probably have an anode rod that is connected to the hot-water exit supply pipe. You will then have to shut off your water, drain your hot water tank (using a garden hose attached to the spicket at the bottom), and unscrew the water supply lines to the water tank. Once you unscrew the water supply lines, you have to cut the anode rod off of the exit supply pipe with a hacksaw or saw-zaw. Try to cut the rod off as close to the plastic connector as you can. Replace the hot-water heater in the same order you disconnected it.
Refill the hot-water tank and run the water for a few minutes to see if the smell has been eliminated. If you still happen to have a foul odor, you may have to call in a water service professional to install a filtration system between your water-supply line and your water softener and heater. You may have a well with bacteria that is releasing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas into the water supply.
The easiest and fastest way to try and solve the issue is to make sure your brine tank (salt tank) is clean. If you are renting a tank, or have had one that was sitting around for a while, there could be bacteria inside the tank from the water. This is very common with well-fed systems vs. city pipe-fed systems. Fill the tank with some salt to the proper level.
Then take a measuring cup and pout 3/4 a cup of bleach into the measuring cup.
Look inside the Brine tank and find the white tube that is open at the top. Use the image attached to this step as a reference point. This is where the float mechanism for the tank sits, and this is also where bacteria can form. Pour the 3/4 cup of bleach down into this white tube.
Wait about 24 hours to see if this has solved your issue. 9 times out of 10 this is the main cause of the odor. If you also have a water pressure tank in your basement next to your system, you could have a bad bladder, which also has bacteria in it. Call a water professional to see if they can replace this. If you still smell the rotten egg water after using bleach in your brine tank, and you do not have a bad water pressure tank bladder, then we have to remove the Anode Rod in your water heater. (see picture)
An Anode Rod in your water heater is made of magnesium or aluminum and is wrapped around a steel core wire. They are placed in your water heater to attract hard-water elements first so that the rod will corrode and not your hot-water heater. The anode rod is "self-sacrificing" to save the tank from rusting out. These normally last 5 years. (see picture of a corroded anode rod)
When you add a water softener to your system, you introduce sodium into your water which can corrode your anode rod as quickly as six months. One of the most commonly over-looked things to do when you add a water softener is to remove your hot-water heater anode. The hot water heater is generally located at the top of the tank, and can be identified as a third plug. All you have to do is unscrew this plug with your channel locks or plumbers pipe-clamp and remove it from the hot water heater. Replace the plug, and you are all set.
If you can not find the plug for the Anode rod, then you probably have an anode rod that is connected to the hot-water exit supply pipe. You will then have to shut off your water, drain your hot water tank (using a garden hose attached to the spicket at the bottom), and unscrew the water supply lines to the water tank. Once you unscrew the water supply lines, you have to cut the anode rod off of the exit supply pipe with a hacksaw or saw-zaw. Try to cut the rod off as close to the plastic connector as you can. Replace the hot-water heater in the same order you disconnected it.
Refill the hot-water tank and run the water for a few minutes to see if the smell has been eliminated. If you still happen to have a foul odor, you may have to call in a water service professional to install a filtration system between your water-supply line and your water softener and heater. You may have a well with bacteria that is releasing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas into the water supply.
How to remove fresh oil stains from concrete
Motor and Hydraulic oils can easily stain concrete driveways and floors. You can get excellent clean up results if you act immediately however! Older stains are harder to get rid of.
Pour cat litter, sawdust, or powdered drywall gypsum onto the oil stain immediately. This will absorb the fresh oil on the driveway and prevent it from spreading across any more of your concrete.
Scoop up the cat litter, sawdust, or powdered drywall gypsum with a dustpan or shovel and throw it out.
Squirt some liquid dish soap onto the stain and add water. Wet down the surrounding concrete as well to prevent oil from making a bigger stain as you clean. I have done this before. You want to add enough water to really make the soap lather up when you scrub it.
Scrub the stain with your nylon scrub brush. DO NOT USE A WIRE BRUSH to scrub the concrete, as this will scratch the finish of the concrete and destroy the surface. Use a standard nylon bristle scrub brush. You should start to see the oil lift out of the concrete due to the properties of the liquid dish soap.
Use a paper towel to blot up the soap suds and the oil that is getting lifted out of the concrete.
If you still have a stubborn stain that is deep in the concrete, continue to repeat Steps 3-5 until it lifts out completely. If you still can not get it out, consider using Kerosene on the stain to lift it out. BE CAREFUL USING SOLVENTS - the fumes are toxic and they are dangerous to work with.
If you think that you will have continuous staining problems, you can use an oil pan under the vehicle that is causing the stain, or you can treat the clean concrete to help minimize the penetration of oil and water that contains dirt and pigments. Some of the best products are clear water and oil repellent that contain silane and siloxane ingredients. These chemical solids help block the tiny pores in concrete to stop water from entering and soaking into the concrete. These clear repellents are easy to apply and dry clear.
Pour cat litter, sawdust, or powdered drywall gypsum onto the oil stain immediately. This will absorb the fresh oil on the driveway and prevent it from spreading across any more of your concrete.
Scoop up the cat litter, sawdust, or powdered drywall gypsum with a dustpan or shovel and throw it out.
Squirt some liquid dish soap onto the stain and add water. Wet down the surrounding concrete as well to prevent oil from making a bigger stain as you clean. I have done this before. You want to add enough water to really make the soap lather up when you scrub it.
Scrub the stain with your nylon scrub brush. DO NOT USE A WIRE BRUSH to scrub the concrete, as this will scratch the finish of the concrete and destroy the surface. Use a standard nylon bristle scrub brush. You should start to see the oil lift out of the concrete due to the properties of the liquid dish soap.
Use a paper towel to blot up the soap suds and the oil that is getting lifted out of the concrete.
If you still have a stubborn stain that is deep in the concrete, continue to repeat Steps 3-5 until it lifts out completely. If you still can not get it out, consider using Kerosene on the stain to lift it out. BE CAREFUL USING SOLVENTS - the fumes are toxic and they are dangerous to work with.
If you think that you will have continuous staining problems, you can use an oil pan under the vehicle that is causing the stain, or you can treat the clean concrete to help minimize the penetration of oil and water that contains dirt and pigments. Some of the best products are clear water and oil repellent that contain silane and siloxane ingredients. These chemical solids help block the tiny pores in concrete to stop water from entering and soaking into the concrete. These clear repellents are easy to apply and dry clear.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
How to drill a clean hole through tile - porcelain, clay, glass, hard tile
How to Drill a Hole in Ceramic, Porcelain, Clay, or Glass Tile - Click here for funny video clips
When installing tile, there will be times that you will need to drill a hole through the tile to feed pipes, electrical lines, water supply lines, and even waste lines. Here is how you do it using a carbide bit to create a clean started hole through the tile.
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